Development of many initiation sources for pyrotechnic and high explosives has existed since the invention of explosives themselves.
The idea is to place the user as far away as necessary from the flash of explosives and the dangers inherent to the nature of volatile elements thereof.
Each type of initiation interface connection has an individual preference desirable to the application involved, such as cost, ease of connection, safety of the particular material and other governing factors, such as water, high power lines, dust clouds after initiation, ground vibration and air blast.
Elements after use also pose problems such as, clearing the area of residual litter, thus preventing damage to machinery and which pose safety hazards.
In the past decades, manufacturers have developed various types of initiation devices, each type to serve the purpose of their particular products.
To understand most known sources of initiation, it is necessary to carefully review the methods now available, Manufacturers can and should make changes relevant to today's technology. As a group, there is reluctance to make improvements in the forms relevant, and changes must focus on a single type of initiation system, or at least fewer than those now available, principally to enhance safety and out manufacturing costs. It is time to establish a new standard for industrial and military users of explosive initiation systems.
Table 1 displays the various types of initiation materials, their advantages and disadvantages.
TABLE 1 __________________________________________________________________________ DETONATION SHOCK GAS ELECTRIC EXPLODING CAUSES CORD TUBE TUBE WIRE BRIDGE WIRE __________________________________________________________________________ AIR BLAST X NOISE INABILITY TO X X TEST BEFORE FIRING DUST CLOUD X LITTER X X X WATER X X ABRASION X X X X BREAKAGE X X X X SAFETY X X X X X HAZARDS CONNECTING X X X DIFFICULTY RADIO FREQUENCY X PREMATURE FIRING __________________________________________________________________________